Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment

Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment Information and Helplines

TUS is committed to fostering a safe, respectful and supportive campus culture. We are actively working to implement the Framework for Consent in HEIs:Safe, Respectful, Supportive and Positive:Ending Sexual Harrassment in Irish Higher Education Institutions and learning from the recommendations in THEA’s Promoting Consent and Preventing Sexual Violence Report.

Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment – TUS Moodle Page

In addition to the information on this site, TUS Staff and Students are encouraged to visit the TUS Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment Moodle page.  When you have accessed Moodle, click on “Site Home” then “Resources” and the “General Resources” this will bring you to our Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment page.

The Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment page holds all the information related to our efforts here at TUS to eliminate sexual violence and harassment. You can visit this page anonymously to access information or learn more about the various topics. Each tile on the ESVH Moodle page has information about various related topics, for example – Active Consent and other campaigns, how to be supportive if someone discloses to you, information on healthy relationships and much more.

TUS Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment Allies 

These are staff members on all our TUS campuses, who are trauma informed and are here to listen, believe and signpost you to the supports available if you need to talk about something that has happened to you. We are here for you.

TUS Action Plan for Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment

TUS has developed an Action Plan for Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment. The action plan identifies the actions TUS will undertake and the timeframes for those actions. Publication: TUS Action Plan for Ending Sexual violence and Harassment 

TUS Social Activist Digital Badge

This badge is open to all TUS students, it is a mix of online and in person learning which identifies your efforts to bring about positive social change. Undertaking this badge will increase your confidence in responding to and being aware of the social challenges such as bullying, harassment, sexual violence, suicide prevention and intervention. Achieving this badge shows your willingness to go the extra mile in increasing your knowledge and skill set. Email kathy.heavey@tus.ie for further information or to register. Alternatively have a look at the TUS Social Activist Badge Moodle page.

‘Be the culture change you want to see’

Unmute Consent campaign 

The #unmuteconsent campaign recognises the power of the student voice to drive change.

Be the generation that stands up and speaks out. Be the ones who actually reverse the trend of sexual harassment and violence, to create a truly respectful environment for everyone — on and off our campuses.

Consent is about respect, simple as.

Active Consent

Active* Consent programmes involve various types of workshops and training. To find out more information about Active Consent go to the Consent Hub.

“Consent is for everyone – consent is for everything”
The campaign tagline “Consent is for everyone – consent is for everything” aims to show young people that consent is necessary for all types of intimate relationships; from long-term relationships, to situationships and casual hook-ups. This campaign also aims to broaden the discussion around consent to include all types of intimacy and sexual activity, not just “full sex” – such as sexting and the exchanging of intimate images.

The Active Consent USI Sexual Experiences Survey 2020 was completed by 6,026 undergarduates and postgraduates student at Irish Higher Education Institutions(HEIs) during February to March 2020. This survey was a collaboration between the Active*Consent programme at NUI Galway and the Union of Students Ireland Students and USI representatives worked with the research team with the aim of providing the Irish HEI sector with the first comprehensive snapshot of positive and negative student sexual health experiences grounded by inetrnationally recognised assessment strategies.

We upskill and attend training with Active Consent throughout the year. We continue to offer the 30 minute Active* Consent workshop to all incoming first years during induction and to other student groups throughout the year. To find out more or book a session please email kathy.heavey@tus.ie. 

Bystander Intervention

Active* Consent created ‘How to Support Yourself and Your Peers’ which is also available on the Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment Moodle page for all staff and students. This course moves users from understanding and applying Active* Consent to becoming an Active* Bystander. It provide viewers with introductory skills in supporting friends who disclose negative experiences and how to safely call out and intervene in developing negative situations in their peer group and community. By empowering users to not only learn new terms but build a proactive skill set, we believe that together we can step up to and work on ending sexual violence and harassment on all our TUS campuses.

Note: Click the image to access “How to Support Yourself and Your Peers” Active* Consent programme. 

Staff Awareness Video

Active* Consent has developed a short 20-minute video on consent, sexual violence and harassment for staff members working in Irish Higher Education. The video covers:

• Key findings from Active* Consent’s years of research with students on consent, sexual violence and harassment that aid understanding of the stakes of these issues 

• Basic definitions of consent, sexual violence and harassment

• Quick tips for supporting a student if they disclose negative sexual experiences to you 

• Where to go to get more information and support

 Report & Support

TUS Speak Out Tool

We partnered with Psychological Counsellors in Higher Education Ireland (PCHEI) to develop Speak Out – an online system that allows anonymous reporting by TUS Students or Staff of incidents of sexual harassment, bullying, assault or violence.

The TUS Speak Out Tool: Click here to make a report.

Speak Out is an online anonymous reporting tool available to students and staff to disclose incidents of bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, discrimination, hate crime, coercive behaviour/ control, stalking, assault, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape.

The information you provide using this tool is valuable as the data collated will help inform TUS’ actions, initiatives and activities aimed at addressing bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct.

It is important to remember that as the Speak Out reporting tool is completely anonymous. There is no way of identifying or contacting any member of the University community who uses the tool.

The Speakout tool will help you to find information and contact details of relevant TUS supports and specialist external supports.

View immediate local area/national supports

Intimate image abuse

Active Consent Image Based Sexual Abuse video

The Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 came into force in February 2021. The Act provisions for two new offences dealing with the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, also commonly referred to as ‘intimate image abuse’ (IIA).

The Act, defines an ‘intimate image’ in relation to a person, as any visual representation, made by any means including any photographic, film, video or digital representation:

Examples of intimate image or video shared without consent include:

A person, for example, an ex-partner shares an intimate image of you on social media without your consent;

A person digitally alters (Photoshops) an image of you with an explicit image and shares it without your consent;

A person posting your intimate image on an adult ‘porn’ website without your consent.

If you have experienced intimate image abuse, the most important things to remember are that it is not your fault and you are not alone.

Hotline.ie can help. If an intimate image or video of you has been shared without your consent, they can help with reporting and removing the content online and, in some cases, liaising with An Garda Síochána, should you wish for it to be investigated by Gardaí. 

If you report an intimate image or video shared without your consent Hotline.ie may:

Approach the online service provider on your behalf and request the removal of the intimate image or video shared without your consent. Whilst we cannot guarantee removal of all images, we have exceptional partnerships with online service providers, and we will use all reasonable efforts to help you.

Help you find relevant resources.

Provide you with advice on how to gather the information about the image or video.

In some cases, help you make a formal complaint against the person responsible by liaising with An Garda Síochána on your behalf.

The Hotline.ie service is available to victims of non-consensual sharing of intimate images who reside in the Republic of Ireland. If you live outside Ireland, please visit our international resources page to find out where you may be able to get support depending on where you live.

For any urgent situation where you suspect a person may be in immediate danger please always report it directly to An Garda Síochána, either at your local Garda station or by using the free Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.

Safe Ireland 

Lets Talk Tech – these are a series of webinars designed to support and empower women around technology. The series offers you multiple video tutorials on how to get the safety,security and privacy settings just right on your accounts and devices. The aim is to help you understand how to protect your account online, how to increase your security and to help you feel safer using your devices.

Safe Ireland understands that males/men experience violence in their homes and reject intimate partner violence as unacceptable in all instances.  There are specialist organisations dedicated to working with men who are victims of domestic violence. Please click on this link for a list of supports

Supports for Students and Staff

If you have been affected by sexual violence or harassment or wish to disclose an incident and access support please contact one of our TUS supports below: